Plea for speed cut on deadly road

27/6/13- Cllr Phil Scott witha few members of the local Resident's Association near to Queensway in Hastings.

Published:06:00Friday 28 June 2013

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ANGRY residents are demanding the speed limit is reduced from 60 to 40mph at an accident blackspot in St Leonards after another motorist was seriously injured.

People living near the B2092 Queensway say it is just a matter of time before another pedestrian or motorist is killed on the busy carriageway.

On Wednesday a 48-year-old man riding a Kawasaki motorbike left the road at the dangerous bend at Redgeland Wood just past the Crowhurst Road junction.

He suffered a fractured pelvis and was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton after initially being taken to the Conquest Hospital. The road was closed for two hours forcing traffic on a diversion through Castleham Industrial Estate.

In April, a motorcyclist was seriously injured when his Norton machine was in collision with a SAAB car turning into Napier Road.

There have been almost a dozen to 10 people killed in accidents on Queensway in the last decade.

In September 2004 three people were killed and one injured during a horrific crash near the Crowhurst Road junction.

A week later one person was taken to hospital after a collision involving two vehicles at the same spot.

Resident of the Mayfield estate have campaigned for reduced speeds and a safe pedestrian crossing since the estate was built in the early 1990s.

Steve Bowles, chairman of the Mayfield Area Residents Association, said: “The current 60mph is too fast.

“It needs to be dropped to 40mph. The bend is quite dangerous and the speed board does not seem to work.

“And there will be even more traffic on Queensway when the Bexhill Link Road is opened.

“I have never seen any police presence on there. We need a Gatso camera to slow motorists down.

“It is a two mile downhill stretch and it is very easy to get carried away with your speed.

“It’s just a matter of time before someone else is killed on there.”

Hollington and Wishing Tree county councillor Phil Scott met residents yesterday at the Robsack Centre to discuss the issue.

He said: “I have been corresponding with East Sussex County Council over the last few months over Queensway.

“This is due to the imminent build of the Link Road and anticipated increased volumes of traffic using Queensway and more local development.

“Currently I have been calling for a reduction in speed and one low speed rather than different levels of speed which we currently have.

“If you look at the speed at the top of Queensway it is 60mph. As you travel west down Queensway there are a number of different speed levels because of development going on.

“Then it reduces down to 30mph at the bottom of Queensway as is close to residential areas. It is most confusing and that is why I have asked for one speed along the entire length.

“I fail to see how the Traffic Police can enforce this as they are probably as confused as the drivers using the road.

“I am going to lobby Rupert Clubb, director of Environment and Transport, and for a consistent speed limit to make it safer all round.”